Translation and cross-cultural adaptation of the Visual Vertigo Analogue Scale for use in Argentina

Abstract

Background and objective: Visual dizziness occurs when high visual dependence interferes with compensation for a vestibular lesion and leads to intolerance in situations of visual conflict. The Visual Vertigo Analogue Scale (VVAS) is a self-administered, valid and reliable questionnaire that serves to assess visual dizziness. The use of questionnaires in different cultures and languages requires that they be translated and adapted to the local culture. There is no version of the VVAS in Argentina. The objectives of this study were to translate and carry out a cross-cultural adaptation of the VVAS into Spanish for use with vestibular patients in Argentina.

Materials and methods: This study was carried out from November 2015 to January 2016 in the Kinesiology Service of a public hospital in the city of Buenos Aires. Patients were Argentines older than 18 years who suffered from a vestibular disorder. The translation and cross-cultural adaptation were based on the guide to the process of cross-cultural adaptation of self-administered measurements by Beaton et al. RESULTS: 39 patients were included in the VVAS cross-cultural adaptation process. All changes made by the committee of experts were for the purpose of ensuring the semantic, idiomatic, experimental and conceptual equivalence of the two versions.

Conclusion: The original version of the VVAS has been translated into Spanish and adapted for use in the Argentine population with vestibular disorders.

Keywords: Ambiente; Argentina; Dizziness; Encuestas y cuestionarios; Environment; Mareo; Surveys and questionnaires; Traducción; Translating; Vertigo; Vértigo.